Josie Florence, Brasserie Toulouse-Lautrec, Kennington, London

What/Why:

Josie Smith discovered her love for jazz when she first heard Ella Fitzgerald singing, ‘Everytime we say goodbye’ at the house of her former piano teacher, Gerry Swainger in her hometown of Exeter.

In 2007 Josie made the move to Leeds, joining the jazz studies degree at Leeds College of music, one of the U.K’s acclaimed Jazz conservatoire’s, her tutors include Kari Blevik, Louise Gibbs, Jesse Bannister, Jazz guitarist Kathy Dyson, Latin Violinist Omar Puente and Jez Franks among others. In August of last year,

Josie took the chance to attend a jazz summer school in the French town of Chomerac where she was taught by tutors, Liane Carroll, Simon Purcell, Stan Sulzman and Sophie Bancroft. It was on the summer school that double BBC jazz vocalist award winner, Liane Carroll encouraged Josie to believe in her natural ability for jazz, Inspiring new found confidence which has since seen her performance ability go from strength to strength. Josie performs in a number of ensembles including the LCM Big Band, Omar Puentes Latin Band and her own projects the Josie Smith Quintet and a lounge style duo with pianist Martin Hamer